Obesity? Surely not?

I know why us Britons are having a few problems with the old flab… And no, delicious mince pies, cookies and other snacks ain’t it. (Well, not completely!)

No, the problem revealed itself when I went to tax my car yesterday in a town I’m getting to know but as always, such things take time. So when I went into one shop to get the dogs’ chews (we’ve worked out that buying them things to chew is cheaper than Snipe chewing the sofa…), I asked directions for the Post Office.

The woman serving at the till couldn’t have been any older than 20, probably late teens, and she immediately looked concerned.

2nd woman: “Oh yes, it’s a long walk. Right on the other side of town, it is.”

Me: “That’s fine, just point me in the right direction!”

1st woman: “Out the doors, turn right.”

It was a cold day, so I was enjoying the prospect of a walk to warm me up, especially as everyone seemed in such a good mood. This town has a reputation for being a bit of a slum but it was cheery and happy yesterday – young boys out on their bikes, testing its abilities (and their own), young girls laughing at the mishaps and innocently flirting, parents with small children taking their time, letting the kids run around the wide pedestrian-only streets, none of that pre-Christmas rush, young couples in their own, secret worlds.

I was happily musing on such subjects when, a couple of minutes into my walk, I asked a young mother if I was heading in the right direction. She smiled brightly and told me to walk to the end of the street and the Post Office was on the right. As she pointed I saw the sign gleaming on the side of the building.

Door to door, it couldn’t have taken me more than about 3 minutes!

A long walk, indeed!

Problem solved!!!

Oh – and I was served by the loveliest woman in the world at the Post Office who efficiently sorted through my rather jumbled paperwork and did some other stuff for me – and all with a smile and a genuine desire to help and make my life easier by doing so. Thank you very much 🙂